


When Shinigami comes

by Liah



Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms, Naruto
Genre: Community: deathnote100, F/M, Kakashi and Naruto just in blink of eye, M/M, Shinigami, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-25
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-09-19 22:55:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9464207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liah/pseuds/Liah
Summary: ANBU used to wear their masks to deceive death itself in old times - it cannot take someone without recognize him. But then... there was black mask, created by Shinigami itself as reprisal. Only the man whose dearest friend death will be will wear this black mask...One day Kakashi will find this feared mask from legends in Naruto´s apartment.Not again, pleaded Kakashi. Don´t come for someone who is dear to me again...





	1. chapter one

> When Shinigami comes,  
>  I want to be able,  
>  to say,  
>  just one thing:  
>  I loved.  
>  With the force  
>  Of nature and beauty of stars..
>
>> There were things which were really easy to predict.
>> 
>> Day follows after night, no matter how dark and hopeless your mission under the stars and moon seems to be. Unbelievable and untypically quick entrance of autumn after just very first leaves fall on the ground in village hidden in the leaves even when the weather is still summer-hot.  
>  The way how his head will hurt, sending piercing needles into his brain for days (he was even able to predict how many days), and muscles burn when he overuses his sharingan. Iruka´s yelling at misbehaving kids – Kakashi, sitting at the tree with his book, just had to pay attention to the frequency of giggles of pupils.  
>  Force of the kick of his opponent by angle of his leg. Type of jutsu just by first signs of technique without using of Obito´s sharingan (because that eye will be always Obito´s no matter how long he has it. Every time when he uses it he think about Obito and when fight is over something in him aches and that ache is so much deeper and worse than headache of exhaustion. But he is used to it after all… and he knows he deserve it).  
>  It was easy to say, how Naruto will spend nearly half of his money after really exhausting mission (ramen, of course). Simple to say when Sakura is angry even when she behaves sweetly and kindly with the smile on her pretty face. Elementary to forecast which days Tsunade will drink more than normally, or which days he needs to avoid The memorial stone because there will be to many people for him to have conversation with his sensei or Rin and Obito. He can say when Sai is absolutely confused – he just needed to know the topic of conversation (and then he just goes and explain it to him- or as much as he understand himself).  
>  And then, there were things he was unable to see to come.  
>  Like the fact that the Team 7 has grown up.  
>  “Hilarious,” said Pakkun with amusement because yes, Kakashi was strange but even he needed company for conversations... sometimes. “They couldn’t be kids forever, boss. All puppies have to grow up.”
>> 
>> Yes, Kakashi knows but somehow he didn´t see this come. They were just the kids, they fought and smiled and went to the dinners with him, they have fulfilled that terrible emptiness in his chest after he lost everything what was dear to him just a little but it was enough, so enough for him to start to like that kids and all of it was so natural so fluent and unobserved and then… bum! His cute kids weren´t kids anymore.  
>  Time just stopped in Kakashi´s head. He didn´t want to see changes because he was...not happy, he had done too much terrible things to feel that but he was… in peace at least with his students and he didn´t want to let it go. And maybe, just maybe his students feel the same? Maybe they didn´t realized that nowadays it is little easier for them to fight against Kakashi, that it was little harder for him to use sharingan, that he was little… softer with people and read less porn that he used to? Who knows?  
>  Kakashi sighed. He should have realized this alternation after he said Sakura and Naruto to not call him sensei anymore. Really, it was little stupid for him to let them call him teacher when he wasn´t teaching them. Actually, they were as strong – ever stronger- that he was.  
>  So yes, after he hesitantly taught Naruto shidori and that boy showed, that he can used it more responsibly than Sasuke has ever dreamt about, after Sakura saved his life when he was sure about his own death with clinical eye of ninja surviving thousands of battles, he told them he is just Kakashi, not Kakashi sensei for them. But he didn´t think what it means, not really.  
>  But at least, his impact on them is as visible as it used to be when they were genins? he thought. Not just in their techniques but mainly in their minds and if there was only one thing Kakashi was proud of it was honour and will of fire in the minds of his ex-students. He liked to think that it was his merit.  
>  So even though they were equals now… he will always protect them as much as he used to when they were genins. Protect their lives, happiness and their dreams with everything he has. It is what Minato taught him – to care, to protect. He will not disappoint them, not after everything he has done to Obito and Rin.  
>  He understands what family means. It takes too long and too many lives to realize it but finally… he knows his lesson.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi cares about his students deeply (or: Kakashi and love story of Sai and Sakura and Kakashi who is where Naruto needs him)

One day, when he was visiting Sai in the hospital (that boy was in the coma after some hellish ANBU mission and Kakashi really didn´t want to know details. He was visiting him every day after visiting hours though, entering his room via window), he found his notebook on the table with another personal belongings. Kakashi was ninja and gaining information was his nature – it was handy to find out something about this of his students, so careful about his thoughts. So Copy ninja opened it – and find many sketches of team 7. It was perfectly okay and Kakashi was actually touched that ANBU boy thinks about his team so much. There were also some sketches of nature and stunning sketch of all village during sunset…  
And then something caught his eye.  
There were many pictures of Sakura – little more that sketches of Kakaashi and Naruto. Also Sakura´s were more detailed and… that smile. That smile Sai has drawn…  
It was speaking above words. Kakashi realized that this stoic boy fell in love.  
Kakashi was shocked although only few people would recognize that in the way how slowly he turned pages, how carefully, in the way he was bending at the chair next to his ex-student like he had big weight on his shoulders. He was sure Sai didn´t realized his feeling for Sakura because of his history in Root. Even idea that Sai can feel something so complex and deep as love after what he survived in Root… after how long he struggled with basic things like friendship and connections…

Kakashi believed that Sai was just too destroyed for romantic love. He was enraged because of it but he didn´t denied it because he has seen many terrible thinks and atrocity to refuse obvious fact just because it was painful to admit them. And then this…  
With clarity of the day another proofs came to his mind easily– how close is Sai to Sakura at missions they have together as old team 7. Just little closer than necessary between teammates, little closer that to Naruto, but still… in their word it was speaking loudly. Sai was never entirely calm at the missions when he couldn´t see Sakura – afraid about her safety although she was strong and independent. Kakashi could see it now in the way how Sai is toying with his brushes when Sakura is gone. Sai was still stoic man and had problems to express his feelings and Kakashi didn´t know how to ask him about it, about what he was worried about.  
He also realized, that Sakura wasn´t speaking about his fourth member – Sasuke- anymore. Uchiha was send to the missions in another countries at his own request. No one protested about it especially with Naruto´s support as a future Hokage neither Kakashi. To be with Sasuke at one team again would be too painful.  
Sakura wasn´t in love with Uchiha anymore. She wasn´t speaking about him… wasn´t waiting for him to take her. 

So next decision was easy. Just few word here and there to Sai about Sakura and to Sakura about Sai, few observations… and well, everything else is just history.   
He was glad he was able to do some good in this world, not just to cause death to enemies. That he created something beautiful. These days Sai and Sakura were inseparable. When he couldn’t find Sakura, he just started to look for Sai, because where was one, there was also another.  
Sai was still incredibly stupid about nuances of feeling but he was getting there after Sakura throw away his books and told him just ask her. And he did – and often what leaded to some really memorable embarrassing situations- and she explained, many times, and demonstrated with patience of saint. Kakashi was sure she would be a great teacher – maybe as good as Iruka if she wanted.  
So yes, when he saw that two sitting in the grass, leaning into each other – Sakura reading medical text and Sai sketching- in peace, touching each other absently and with absolute trust and solitude adoration he knew he made one of best decisions of his life. Maybe he should dropped some words about proposal to Sai? Hmm…. 

And then, there was Naruto.  
His relation to Naruto was different like to Sakura and Sai. While these two were like family to him, Naruto was more like… friend? It was hard to explain it. The main difference was that around Naruto he wasn’t afraid to show his weaknesses because he knew that Naruto would never be shaken by the idea of Kakashi as weak human. For Sakura and Sai he wanted to stay the hero whom they can come for help when they needed.   
With Naruto he was just… Kakashi.   
When someone would suggested that he would trust so much to that small loud blond boy, his sensei´s stupid son, he would laugh so hard. It was hilarious to think that Naruto would be his… friend, his stone to the village and reality these days. But… it was as it was. Kakashi has survived too many stranger situations to wander about it too much. He just took what he can from it, grateful.  
After all… it wasn´t so out of place. Naruto seems to be a centre of many things in village these days, inseparable from hidden leaf and its people. Soul of it, happiness of village, the strength. Like true Hokage he one day will be. Kakashi was sure about it.   
Naruto just looks and behave more and more like Minato these days.

So after another mission, after avoiding seals protecting Naruto´s apartment, he just laid down at his couch and waited for the blond to come home. He was glad that Naruto adjusted the strongest seals on his apartment to ignore his chakra although Naruto though that Kakashi didn´t know that he left just some less dangerous to not to be so obvious that he didn´t mind Kakashi´s visits.   
Well, both of them were lonely men although nor Kakashi nor Naruto would said it aloud. And Kakashi was okay with his solitude but Naruto…

He wanted to read a bit to distract himself but he just fell asleep instead. 

“Typical, Kakashi. You would fall asleep practically everywhere,” said Naruto after opening the door to his apartment.   
“Maa, it is not my fault that your couch is so comfortable,” answered Kakashi and sit down painfully. Naruto was far behind questioning why he came here after his mission – this was long practised routine for two of them.   
“Want to eat something?” asked Naruto from kitchen. Are you well enough to have appetite after mission?  
“It would be nice,” answered Kakashi because his ex-student was actually the most decent cook in team 7. He received Naruto´s cheeky grin as answer.   
While Naruto was working he stood up to warm up his sore muscles a little, walking through apartment, absently looking for small changes. Hmm, Naruto had some new books in bookshelf and he evidently broke the vase-

Kakashi blinked forcefully. Once. Twice. Maybe he just imagined this. 

“Naruto?” Kakashi asked. He tried to sound unconcerned. Tried.  
“What is it?” asked blonde with concerned eyes and came to him with dish towel in hands.  
“Where is this from?” he pointed at the object at the window still.   
“I don´t know,” he shrugged.  
“You don´t know? Naruto, you are supposed to be ninja.” Deep breathes. In and out. This doesn´t mean anything, just some stupid joke from someone or-  
“I´m not that stupid, Kakashi. We checked it with Kurama twice. That mask is perfectly okay and it is actually quite nice and I had it for long time in wardrobe-“  
“Naruto, focus. How long do you have it?”  
“For years, I think? It just appeared one day at my pillow. Firstly I was suspicious of course and even more when I throw it away and it appeared again after few days but then we controlled it with Kurama and nothing bad happened and well, evidently someone wants me to have it, so why not?”  
This can´t be true. Just can´t.  
He packed that thing in fabric carefully to not touch it. He needed to talk with Tsunade. Immediately.   
“Kakashi, what´s wrong? You seems like you have seen-“  
His ex-sensei disappeared from him in swirl of leaves without word.  
“- death.”


	3. warning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi could recognize warning when he got one.

One of the most valuable mental possessions of ninja was attentiveness.

Keen eye was often difference between successful or failed mission, difference between life and death so _of course_ ninjas were trained to observe things and small details around themselves since they were old enough to walk. 

For ninja attentiveness was as natural as breathing. They could not switch it off and that was a reason why civilians had so many problems with communication with ninjas – usually they missed good half of information which ninja tried to tell them by gestures or small details.   
It was misfortune when ninja tried to speak with civilian (which was not often) but advantage when ninja speaks with comrade – lot was said by context or small gestures.

 

So when Kakashi run to Tsunade there was no ANBU who tried to stop him although it was their duty to do so. Just because he run without his notorious book in his hand (conclusion from this small detail: Kakashi had some serious matter to discuss and delay would have bad consequences).   
And when he entered tower by door not by window how he usually did Tsunade put down her cup of sake and greeted him seriously with no sassy comment or irony. 

Kakashi put a pack in front her. 

“I don´t approve Naruto as future ANBU,” he said while she unwrapped it. 

_It would change him too much. It would destroy his believes. You know it, so what are you doing?_

Tsunade blinked, “me either. It would be such a waste to order him to kill mercilessly when he can persuade people so easily.”  
“It was in Naruto apartment for _years_. I found it out only by accident today.” Kakashi tried not to think too much how desperate Naruto had to be for attention and some sort of comfort when he was willing to keep possession from stranger for so long.   
“I did not put it there. Nor my ANBU.”  
“Then who?”  
 _Please, tell me. Please, give me some rational explanation._

Tsunade sighed. It sounded really tired. 

“Shikamaru,” she called. Said ninja came with focused and curious look in his face not bothering to at least try to pretend he did not listen to their conversation. Kakashi could not be angry at him for it – after all it was part of his future job.   
“You will go through our sources with focus on… Shinigami.”  
Nara made a face – it was lot of boring work to do, “Why I am supposed to find information about some non-existent god?”   
“Because life of your future hokage depends on it. _Go,_ ” she snapped. She was worried, realized Kakashi. It was not surprising – she had a tender spot for the blond future hokage- but was something entirely different to witness her worries. 

And he did without another explanation. He knew that he will find answers in archives – or at least part of it. 

Legend about Shinigami and its mask. It was shame that younger generation does not believe in old gods and spirits as much as they did but Kakashi supposed that it was their fault, fault of older generation which taught nothing about gods and faith to their kids, only about duty and death, so he could not complain. 

“Throw it into the river. I remember that grandfather once told me that death cannot walk through running water. Maybe it will buy us some time.”   
Kakashi nodded and walked to the window. He needed to do something. He needed to go back to Naruto and keep eye on him. 

“Kakashi,” said their leader softly, dropping her strict attitude, “we will protect that brat. Damn if I could not kick death itself onto its ass for him,” she said with soft but determined voice.   
_We will protect him. I promise._   
And although copy ninja said nothing else in response, he was much calmer than before.   
*** *** ***   
Three days after he through Shinigami mask into river Naruto came back from mission. 

They brought him back in critical condition. Seals with ability to block Kurama´s chakra were used at him and then he was systematically tortured.   
Kakashi watched him in his hospital room all three days before he opened his eyes again. Somehow blue of his eyes was more like ice, cold and distant, not like summer sky.   
When he entered Naruto´s apartment for some blond´s clothes he found the mask at Naruto´s bed with one deliberate scratch at its cheek – probably from some particularly sharp stone in river. 

Copy ninja could recognize warning when he got one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and your suggestions mean a world to me :) :)


	4. chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chakra jellyfish. because why not.

_It will take time, Kakashi. You know how it goes after missions like these…_

Sakura warned him with poorly hidden sadness and anger that for some time Naruto won´t act like his usual self. Kakashi knows, _of course_ he knows. Many of them got through torture and pain, it was part of who they are, sacrifice and risk they were going through willingly for the sake of their village. They have protocol for these occasions, they help each other to get through, to lock it in their mind just like bad memory. Pain was the reason why the best ninjas usually have some strange quirks- it is form of release of supressed memories. 

But it does not mean that Kakashi is not worried. And angry.

_They put him into the state near to the death and then they released seals on his chakra just enough for him to heal himself. And they repeated it again and again probably for days._   
That people should be glad that they are already dead because Kakashi can be really creative when he wanted to be. 

So they are visiting Naruto in hospital as often as they can – he, Sakura and Sai. And Naruto is more or less always glad to see them. Sometimes he is really distant, his eyes cold and no one can reach for him, not really. Kakashi hates it. He hates how softly Naruto speaks these days. _His vocal chords were absolutely devastated._

He had to scream so much when he killed him again and again.

“You know, you are not supposed to use chakra, right?” Kakashi asked him when he jumped through window into his hospital room.   
“Don´t you dare, Kakashi. We are bored to the death,” the blond scowled. It was another difference – he often refer himself as “we”, taking himself and fox demon as one person. Kurama and Naruto were much closer after what happened to them.   
“We were you working on some funny seal. I will put chakra into it tomorrow after Sakura will release me if it will calm you.”  
“What´s a purpose of that seal?”  
“I will show you when I will make sure it works.”  
*** *** ***   
Next time Kakashi found Naruto in front of orphanage.   
System for orphans has changed a lot since Tsunade had become Hokage (it was evident that she would be a great mother if she would want to have kids) and it changed even more when Naruto was recognized by her as her successor. 

Village cared and recognized these kids. They stomachs were full, they lived in representable building and they had attention of adults comparable with attention of ninja parents to their kids. 

“Let´s see what we can do,” said Naruto. He knelt down and put paper with quite simple sign on the ground. Then he made his seals – rat, bird, dragon and once again bird. He then left his hands in position of bird and carefully blew air through small gate made by his point fingers in bird seal position.  
It looks like Naruto just blew a soap bubble accept this bubble was made by chakra and had long octopuses. It was also florescent – it was moving softly through air, giving tender blue light.

“It´s chakra… jellyfish?” asked Kakashi with upper eyebrow.   
“Yeah,” he answered, “some sort of night lamps for that kids. Their teachers often tell me that they are scared of darkness.”

Kakashi still looked at him questioningly.   
“We were really bored, Kakashi. Now stop staring at me and help me to create more of them.”  
And Kakashi did as he was told. Then Naruto show him how to control directions of these jelly-chakra-fish by his will – they sold them into the orphanage by open windows. Lots of gasps and then kid´s laughter follows, and Kakashi had to admit that it was beautiful sound. Few of kids were waving at Naruto through window, familiar with him since he visited them from time to time. The blond smiled back genuinely and openly like Naruto would before Kakashi threw Shinigami mask into river.  
( Kakashi blamed himself for what happened to Naruto. Of course it was his fault- he made angry god of death for Christ sake, it had consequences. Kakashi was just familiar with burden of blame and another bad decision could not make him larger trash than he already has been. )

He was just glad that Shinigami has enough mercy to left him survive. To let Kakashi repair what he destroyed. 

Copy ninja wanted his younger companion to heal as much as possible from his bas choices and if creating some crazy jellyfish for kids was a way then well, let it be. Kakashi already saw that this jutsu can be useful during missions, too.  
“It is good that these orphans have your support.” _I am so sorry that there was no one for you as a kid._

“Hm. Whatever to help these kids to sleep without fear. Gods know they deserve it at least.”


	5. chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shinigami is coming...

Kakashi was shocked when he realised that Naruto´s traps don´t react to his chakra. It was equivalent of saying _stay here, please._

And Kakashi did- most of the days he slept at Naruto´s surprisingly comfortable coach. They did not talk about it but these days they were joined at hip. 

And it was nice to see that Naruto acts more like himself , firstly around him and then around another theirs friends and comrades , step by step, although some things don’t disappear – like the way how he speaks about himself and Kurama. 

And Kakashi´s heart broke a little when he found out that Naruto has three soft jellyfish soaring in his room through the air like the ocean every night.

And the Shinigami mask was looking at them every day from Naruto´s apartment. And Kami, Kakashi did not want to know what future held for them.  
*** *** ***  
Usually it was simple to find Naruto. At least for Kakashi.

But it was not a case today – he spent two our looking for him although he was absolutely sure that he hasn´t got any mission, not yet. His heart sunk a little when he saw him sitting at the place where he had thrown Shinigami mask into the river before.

Naruto did not acknowledged his presence by any gesture so he just sat down next to him. They were quiet for a long time, listening to the rustle of leaves and the river filling the air and tension between them. It was easy to see that Naruto is angry with him and it was so rare that Kakashi actually did not know how to approach him. 

 

“You should have told me,” said his companion eventually and little bitterly, _“only the man whose dearest friend death will be will wear Shinigami´s mask…”_  
Kakashi´s heart sunk a little more, “Naruto…”  
“Don´t,” he snapped, “I am not a kid anymore, Kakashi. I thought that we are equals. I thought…” he took a deep breath, finally looking at him directly, “I had to write _teme_ from all of people to seek information. And when he offered me to come back to Konoha for a while a realised how fucked I am.”

“I just wanted to find out more before telling you. I was not even sure you would believe something like that anyway.”  
“I am living with fox demon inside of me. Do you really think I would not believe on gods of death?” Naruto said, hugging his own knees and leaning his chin on them, looking too small, too vulnerable.

“Yes,” Kakashi answered also angry somehow although he did not know why, “because _I_ don’t want to believe in them either. I don´t want to believe that death is somehow connected with you. That it is coming for you,” he said in hollow voice, looking at the river instead his ex-student. In his inner vision he saw Rin and Obito and… his own sensei. 

Naruto´s breath hitched. 

_I care about you, you blond idiot. I care about you too much to see you dying. Why can´t you see that?_

“You know, I see them since I was a child. I see them so long that I thought that everybody does and that it is so obvious that nobody is talking about it anymore, like about fact that grass is green or Sun goes down every evening. I found out that it is not right only because Sasuke told me in his last letter. Then he added how big idiot I am that I ´ve never told him or you before.” 

“It did not scared you? To see a death?” he asked half scared half curious, refusing to think about fact that Naruto sees death. He will have time to process it later.  
“No,” he replied slowly, deep in thoughts, “they are actually nice persons.”

Copy ninja blinked in shock, “there are more Shinigami?”  
“Of course?” he said, “it would be ridiculous to have only one Shinigami to take every dying soul from here?”

It does make some sense. In sick way but it does.

“But usually there is only one Shinigami around me. His name is Ryuk and he loves apples.”  
“What?” Kakashi coughed.  
“He does not care too much about people, eh, we are just form of fun for him. But he is not cruel and he stayed with me all the time when I was tortured so I and Kurama own him?” Naruto said little absently.  
Grey haired man was still trying to compose himself not ready for another hit.  
“So please for the next time try to not piss him of by throwing his mask into river.”  
“He is around us right now?”  
“Yes. He is laughing at you and asking why are you wearing mask. He said that you could not be so ugly to need it,” he giggled.  
“Then tell him to not take you away from us,” he ordered.  
“ He can hear you. And you know, he will take me one day. He will take all of us but it is too soon. We have a time. That is what he says.”

“How can you be so calm about it? I mean about all of it – death, Shinigami… Ryuk?”  
Naruto sighed ant then stood up, “we all know that we will die. I just had more options how to drop that fear and mystique surrounding death. Ryuk has chosen me just because I am interesting for him not because he wanted to kill me in particularly cruel way. Although…” he said with distant and cold look in his eyes.  
“Although?”  
“He offered me to kill for me. Whoever I want. I just needed to make a deal with him. To promise that after my death I will be his successor.”  
“Naruto, don´t,” Kakashi snapped, horrified, feels a cold fist around his loudly beating heart.  
“I know, I know. Just sometimes when you think about Atatsuki…”  
_“No.”_  
Naruto giggled looking at Kakashi´s left, “I know, I know. I will buy you some apples today, I promise.”  
Then he nodded seriously again and Kakashi shivered at how strange it is – his friend is talking with death right now. Death is sitting next to him.  
“I will tell him. Thank you.”  
“What?”  
“Ryuk said that Rin and Obito are saying hello. And that you are terrible in letting things go?” said Naruto clearly confused. Kakashi´s breath hitched again, speechless for a long time. Obito…? Rin…?

“Well, I am going to shop or otherwise we will eat mould vegetable for dinner. And I need that apples. Coming?”  
“Wait. What I am supposed to say to Rin and Obito?” he asked exasperated.

Naruto´s eyes locked with his, his smile soft and his eyes calm as lake at summer. At that very moment, he looked much older than eighteen, he looked like his father. Like wise man, like their leader, like hokage who will protect them and give his last breathe to the village and to his friends. 

“Hmm. Maybe saying goodbye would be a good start?”

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments highly appreciated :)


End file.
